SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Connor McDavid gained the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP on Monday evening regardless of Edmonton’s Stanley Cup Ultimate loss to Florida, a nod to one of many biggest postseason performances in NHL historical past.
McDavid, who was held and not using a level the ultimate two video games of the ultimate, nonetheless led all playoff scorers with 42 factors, 5 shy of the file of 47 set by Wayne Gretzky in 1985. He didn’t return from the locker room to simply accept the trophy from Commissioner Gary Bettman, leaving it sitting on its stand whereas the Panthers celebrated close by.
“It’s an honor with the names on that trophy, however yeah,” McDavid mentioned.
McDavid was first on 16 of 17 ballots. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was second.
“I don’t assume he cares,” longtime working mate Leon Draisaitl mentioned. “I imply, it speaks to how wonderful of a hockey participant he’s. There’s no participant on the planet that desires to win a Stanley Cup greater than him. He does all the things proper, each single day, simply to win it in the future. It’s actually laborious with him being unhappy and being dissatisfied on the finish.”
After not scoring (however nonetheless main the group with three assists) by the primary three video games towards Florida, McDavid modified the course of the collection by doing one thing no different participant in historical past has achieved, together with Gretzky. He had 4 factors in consecutive video games within the last to maintain the Oilers from being eradicated.
“You concentrate on the yr that Connor had: 100 assists, main our group, the efficiency he had on this playoffs, particularly on this last spherical once we’re down three video games to zero after which he comes out with eight factors in two video games,” coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned. “Yeah, he’s our chief, he’s our greatest participant.”
McDavid is simply the second skater after the Flyers’ Reggie Leach in 1976 to win the Conn Smythe on a group that misplaced within the last. Goaltenders Jean-Sebastien Giguere of Anaheim in 2003, Ron Hextall of Philadelphia in 1987, Glenn Corridor of St. Louis in 1968 and Roger Crozier with Detroit in 1966 had been additionally playoff MVPs after backstopping groups that fell simply wanting hoisting the Cup.
Requested how he was feeling practically a half-hour after the loss, McDavid might solely muster the phrases, “It sucks.”
McDavid, the reigning and three time Hart Trophy winner lengthy thought of one of the best hockey participant on the planet, placed on a present in his first journey to the ultimate. His purpose and three assists in an 8-1 rout in Recreation 4 prevented a sweep, and his 4 factors together with an empty netter in Recreation 5 three nights later dragged the collection again to Alberta.
Those that know McDavid imagine it’s the year-round work he has put in all through his profession allowed him to thrive when the highlight was at its brightest.
“He’s distinctive in his dedication to his craft,” mentioned Corridor of Famer Ken Hitchcock, who coached McDavid in 2018-19. “He’s very distinctive. He’s realized to be relentless, and he enjoys it and he’s very, very critical about his craft, and that turns into contagious while you’re on the group with him.”
Oilers gamers lauded McDavid not only for main by instance along with his play but additionally off the ice.
“He’s the best participant to ever play, in my guide,” Draisaitl mentioned. “So many issues that lots of people don’t see that he does, his work ethic. He singlehandedly turned our franchise round, just about. Simply love sharing the ice with him. He’s only a actually, actually particular individual.”
That discuss is justified for a participant who led the league in scoring 5 instances throughout the common season and achieved nearly all the things on a person foundation. What remains to be lacking within the Stanley Cup, which must wait not less than one other yr.
“Connor McDavid, he’s going to win the Stanley Cup some day,” mentioned Patric Hornqvist, a two-time champion with Pittsburgh who’s now a Panthers scouting and improvement guide. “That’s how good he’s.”
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL